Five things to watch: Seattle Seahawks at Arizona Cardinals (Week 1)

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The Seattle Seahawks went undefeated this preseason — but that doesn’t matter anymore. Those games don’t count. Come Sunday, the Seahawks begin their real 2012 campaign with a road game against the Arizona Cardinals. And it will be a big test for a Seattle team with high expectations.

As the Seahawks look to improve upon last year’s 7-9 record and contend for the playoffs, some football pundits think Sunday’s match is already a must-win game. The Cardinals are an NFC West rival, they’re not too long removed from a Super Bowl and it’s a bigger challenge for the Seahawks away from noisy CenturyLink Field.

Of course, all eyes will be on rookie quarterback Russell Wilson, who will start his first game in the NFL after being drafted in April. He is one of five rookies starting at QB this season in the NFL, having won the job during the preseason in a three-way competition with Matt Flynn and the since-traded Tarvaris Jackson.

But Wilson aside, there are several other key storylines for the Seahawks’ season opener. Click through the gallery below for five things to watch as the Seahawks take on the Cardinals on Sunday.

Kickoff is scheduled for 1:25 p.m. PDT at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. It will be broadcast on KCPQ/13 Fox TV, 710 AM ESPN Seattle radio and 97.3 FM KIRO radio.